Fiesta de Mayo

 Blondies

 Mustache cake

 Four boring yet yummy cakes.

Busy baking week. Instead of an open house D's school has a Fiesta, every grade preforms a different dance. I made 5 cakes for the Cake Walk. I made the Blondies for the Bake Sale.

Mustache Cake step by step

 Bake a round cake and cut it in half like a Ying Yang

 I used a fork to give the mustache texture.

I used the Buttery Cake recipe from The Dahlia Bakery cookbook. This cookbook is great because it gives VERY specific directions.

Buttery Cake

 Angus hoping D will drop a bit of frosting.

 D's school is having their Fiesta de Mayo celebration. I was thinking of making a mustache cake for the school's cake walk. I'm also baking something for the bake sale. I tried making a mustache cake. This is my test run. I plan on using chocolate frosting on the next cake. 

Beautiful Ruins

Great Summer Read.

Beautiful Ruins by Jess Walter is SO good, I couldn't put it down. The book mainly takes place in modern day Los Angeles and 1962 Italy during the filming of the movie Cleopatra. The novel is mostly about people's dreams and ambition or lack there of. Jess Walter's writing had me falling in love with these flawed characters.
Pasquale Tursi is the owner of The Hotel Adequate View. Walter's describes him..."He found himself inhabiting the vast empty plateau where most people live, between boredom and contentment." Brilliant!
I hope Hollywood doesn't turn this book in to a movie because the movie will never live up to the book.

Absolutely Avocados Cookbook

Growing up I could not understand the appeal of avocados. They're mushy and turn brown when left out, gross. Now that I'm older with a mature palate...I LOVE avocados. I still have trouble picking a good one at the store. I love adding them to salads or burgers. This cookbook filled with ideas for using avocados for something other than guacamole. I want to try the open-faced avocado croque monsieur and avocado chocolate chip cookies. Absolutely Avocados by Gaby-Dalkin

What I wore Sunday

I can't believe how big F.W is...When did this happen?!? He will be an official teenager this year. How can this be? When we got home from mass this Sunday F.W. wanted to take a picture just the two of us. I was so happy that he still wants to be in a picture with his old Mum. It made my Mother's Day. I love dressing up for Mass but very seldom do I take a picture of what I wear. On the blog www.fine linen and purple it's all about what you wore on Sunday. Cute idea.

What I Wore

Dress:: Gap

Shoes:: Nine West

Watch:: Marc Jacobs

Sunglasses:: Marc Jacobs

Revlon Run number 9, number 9, number 9

 I just love this sign

 This weekend my friend Kristina and I were in Los Angeles for the 20th EIF Revlon Run/Walk for Women. This is our 9th year running.

 Proper shoes this year!!

  "I'm a survivor 11 1/2 years strong!!-God is Good"

This is why I walk each year. So many lives touched by cancer. 

 LA coliseum 

 Had to find a fireman to give Kristina her medal!

Next year NYC!!